“Consider it our own student production.”
She looked up at him, studying the line of his jaw, its sharp angle blurred slightly by a haze of razor stubble. “I don’t understand you sometimes.”
“Not sure I understand me, either.” The corner of his mouth kicked up, though he didn’t look the least amused. “But we’ll get a dinner at the Hollows Cantina out of it. How bad can that be?”
Aurora smiled weakly. She hoped they wouldn’t find out.
* * *
“Does this look all right?” Feeling stupidly nervous, Aurora stepped out from behind the changing screen the next evening following their last show, and held out the sides of her dress as she looked at Galen.
He’d changed, too, out of his Rusty shirt into a black dress shirt that he’d tucked into dark blue jeans. “Dress is fine.”
High praise. She tried not to feel deflated. “I made a dash over to Lubbock yesterday afternoon after I left your place.” Which had been soon after “the kiss.”
He’d escaped even before she had, claiming he still had more chores to take care of. She’d finished cleaning up his kitchen in record time, half afraid he’d return before she’d left, and half afraid he wouldn’t. When at least that one room was restored to order and he still hadn’t, she’d called herself lucky and left, too.
The trip to Lubbock had been as much to distract herself from thinking about what he’d said, and done, as it had been to buy a dress she’d really had no business buying when she had a handful of perfectly serviceable dresses she could wear to the Hollows Cantina.
Retail therapy was supposed to be good for what ailed a person. It still hadn’t helped her forget that he’d kissed her.
Now, she self-consciously smoothed down the sides of the clinging blue fabric that gathered together slightly over her left hip, giving the appearance of curves that she didn’t otherwise possess. “I would have just gone to the dress shop I usually go to in Vicker’s Corners, but was afraid I’d run into she-who-must-not-be-named.” She knew she was babbling nervously, but couldn’t help it.
They were alone in the trailer. Everyone else had beat a quick exit as they usually did after the last show of the day. She stepped around Galen to look in the larger mirror that was situated above the bank of drawers. “I’d rather wear boots than these pumps, but I knew even my good Castletons wouldn’t look right with this dress.” Except for the bobby pins in her hair, everything she wore from the skin out was brand-spanking-new. She tugged at the surplice neckline that, again with the aid of subtly gathered fabric, gave her chest more oomph than either nature or the new one-piece body briefer had actually endowed. “Even though the Castletons cost more,” she added with a nervous giggle.
“These are Castletons,” he muttered and she glanced at the well-shined black cowboy boots beneath the hem of his jeans. “I bought ’em because they were a good investment. Built to last.”
She smiled a little. “I doubt you’ve ever bought anything because it was a fashion statement.”
His lips twisted. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. “’Cept this, I suppose.”
Dismay warred with a discomfiting sense of longing as she stared at his reflection in the mirror. The box was square. Black. Some insane part of her mind wondered if girls were born with a genetic ability to recognize a ring box when they saw one.
The saner part of her mind still warily made her ask, “What’s that?”
“You can’t be a bride without a ring. But I’m not going down on a knee here.” He pushed the box into her hand.
She immediately tried to give it back. “What you told Roselyn yesterday about the ring being sized was fine. We don’t need this.”
“It’s just some costume thing.”
It doesn’t matter! She wanted to let the thought loose, but didn’t. Costume jewelry or not, she had a strong distaste for putting on a ring from him that meant nothing. She pulled the top off the small box and looked at the shining, oversize stone set in some whitish metal.
“Considering I found it in the drugstore, I hope it doesn’t make your finger turn green after wearing it an hour.”
She lifted out the ring and pushed it on the ring finger of her right hand. It was a little loose, the large diamond-like stone listing slightly to the side. “Looks like something Roselyn would choose.”
“So does that dress.”
Aurora sighed and looked at her reflection again. He was right, naturally. The sophisticated cut of the dress wasn’t at all her usual taste. Nor was the way she’d twisted her hair into a thick bun at the nape of her neck.
“And the ring’s on the wrong hand.”
“I’ll move it when I need to.” She had absolutely no enthusiasm inside her for what they were about to do. “We could be rude and stand them up.”
He set his black cowboy hat on his head and pushed open the trailer door. “Is it Roselyn you’re afraid of seeing, or her husband?”
Her mouth opened. Closed. “I’m not afraid of either,” she finally said.
He touched the small of her back and nudged slightly. “Then there’s no reason to stand ’em up.”
“Except for Roselyn being a nosebleed,” she reminded. She stepped out of the trailer, careful in her high heels. She wasn’t inept in them. She had simply never had a pair quite so high before. Five extra inches brought her up so far she could nearly look him in the eye.
For some reason, it felt oddly empowering. She’d heard of power suits. Maybe there was such a thing as power heels.
She shook off the whimsical thought in favor of not tripping over her own feet.
“It was a good audience tonight,” she said once they left the backstage area behind to cut across the park. “Particularly for a Monday.” Better to talk about work. Keep her mind off personal.
As if that were even possible.
“Hear anything about a real replacement for Joey?”
She shot him a quick look. “No. You?”
He shook his head. “I’ll call on the casting department tomorrow. Try to light a fire under Diane.”
“I’m sure she’d like that,” she muttered, remembering the way the other woman’s eyes had chowed down on Galen that first day. Though she had to admit that he didn’t look any too pleased at the prospect.
Instead, he changed the subject altogether. “Hear anything from your parents? They get off on their cruise yesterday okay?”
“Yes. When I got back from Lubbock, there was a message on the machine from them. They sounded giddy as kids. Mama couldn’t believe there was a phone inside their stateroom.”
“Why don’t you have a cell phone?”
“What? Oh.” She was having the hardest time keeping her thoughts in line when all they wanted to do was stray into fantasyland where she and Galen were on a real date that had nothing whatsoever to do with Roselyn St. James. “It’s just another expense.” They passed by the line for the Gulch Holler Rapids and could hear squeals of delight from the riders splashing down nearby. “Who needs that headache?”
“You do, driving that old truck of your dad’s back and forth to Lubbock every time you turn around.”
She stopped in her tracks and stared at him. “I don’t go to Lubbock every time I turn around. And even if I did, why on earth does that bother you now?”
“It’s a matter of safety.” He sounded gruff. He moved her aside so she didn’t get run over by a group of teenagers racing to their next attraction. “I’d say the same thing to my sisters.”
She started walking again. Nervousness had plummeted to resignation. “Never seemed to be much point having a cell phone here in Horseback Hollow.” Sisters. That was even worse than being placed by him in the friend category.
It was okay for friendship to turn to romance.
Not so with sisters.
“The landline has always been good enough for my folks. Guess it’s been good enough for me.”
“Ever think about living somewhere el
se?”
“Meaning at the ripe old age of thirty, I should?” Didn’t matter that she’d thought it more than once herself. She didn’t necessarily need him pointing it out, too.
“I wasn’t implying anything.”
“With all my newfound wealth playing Lila the Wild West Bride, I could buy up a McMansion in Vicker’s Corners,” she added tartly.
“It was just a question!”
She sighed noisily. “I’m sorry. I’m a little tense, I guess. Portraying Rusty and Lila is one thing. Playacting newlyweds in our own skin is obviously another matter.” She forced a chuckle. “As if anyone would ever believe you and I—” She couldn’t make the rest of the words come and was glad the sun was starting to go down. Hopefully that meant he couldn’t see the way her face was hotter than Hades.
“You studied acting, at least.”
“Now you regret not letting me fess up?”
“I’m not regretting anything.”
She wasn’t so sure. But she said nothing more as they continued making their way through the park and back to the employee area again.
Since they’d known they were going to the Hollows Cantina after their last performance, Galen had picked her up on his way into Cowboy Country for the day so that they wouldn’t have two vehicles to deal with, and she automatically headed toward his truck when they reached the parking lot.
She didn’t even notice Frank Richter sitting on the hood of his car until they were passing him.
“Lookee, lookee at Rory.” He slid to the ground in their path and ran his eyes up and down her. “All dolled up.” He whistled through his teeth. “Fancy and sweet.”
Aurora grimaced. “Save it for your saloon girl. She’s more likely to appreciate it.” She stepped around him. Galen’s truck was only a few yards away.
“There’s a lot I could do that you’d appreciate, if you’d let yourself,” he said after her.
She ignored him.
Galen didn’t. “Lay off, Richter.” His voice was flat. “The lady is with me.”
Aurora looked back in time to see Frank lift his hands peaceably.
“Sorry, man,” he said. “Didn’t know.”
“Now you do.” Galen’s long stride caught up to her. He unlocked the passenger door and waited until she’d climbed inside before closing it and going around to the driver’s side.
“I told you not to take anything Frank says seriously,” she said when he got behind the wheel.
“And you need to get your head out of the sand if you think he doesn’t mean what he says.”
She studiously fastened her seat belt. “Brotherly advice?”
“Common-sense advice.” He drove out of the parking lot.
They arrived at the cantina all too soon. Even on a Monday evening, the place was busy. The tables up on the second story’s open-air terrace were all occupied.
“Maybe we won’t be able to get in,” Aurora said hopefully as they walked through the front door.
As soon as they did, though, Galen’s sister-in-law Julia waved them into the dining room.
“I’ve got one of the best tables in the house waiting for you,” she said as she led them to a two-top near the wide wood and iron staircase that was a focal point in the center of the room.
“We’re meeting another couple,” Aurora told her quickly.
“I know.” Julia smiled at her. She was a few years younger than Aurora. But even though they hadn’t been classmates, Aurora had still known her from school and from Julia’s family’s grocery store, the Superette, where the other woman had worked before the Cantina opened. “I can’t believe you know Roselyn St. James!” Her eyes sparkled. “Tomorrow’s Loves used to be a secret addiction of mine.” She pointed at Galen. “Do not share that fact with Liam. He’ll never let me live it down.” She looked back at Aurora. “Ms. St. James called yesterday to make reservations. I didn’t take the call, but I heard that she made that call herself. Wouldn’t you think an actress like that would have ‘people’ for that sort of thing? Anyway, I did take the call she made just a little while ago that she and her husband weren’t going to be able to make it after all, but—” She broke off when Aurora let out a delighted shriek.
“She canceled.” Practically bouncing, Aurora looked at Galen. “She canceled, she canceled, she canceled!” She very nearly threw her arms around his shoulders, she was so relieved. Only the dawning realization that she was making a scene in the middle of the Hollows Cantina dining room where nearly every table was occupied made her control herself.
He had a half smile on his face. “All that worry over nothing.”
Julia pulled out one of the chairs at the table. “Anyway, in her message, she apologized for the short notice but she has a sick child, said to enjoy your evening together, dinner was still on them and she’d be in touch.”
“The evening is definitely looking up,” Aurora said, looking at Galen. “Should we stay? Or just consider ourselves lucky and call it a night?”
In answer, he pulled out the second chair at the table.
Entirely containing her delight was simply not going to happen, so she let it find its escape in the smile she figured was stretching toothily across her whole face. She sat down in the chair and took the thickly bound menu that Julia handed her. “Thanks.”
“My pleasure.” Julia handed the second menu to Galen when he was seated, as well. “So, aside from learning our own Aurora McElroy has brushed elbows with the Famous, this is how I learn the two of you are together?”
Aurora’s delight skittered sideways and crashed into the staircase two feet behind Julia. She eyed the other woman with dread. “What did she tell you?”
Julia widened her eyes humorously and gave Galen a look. “You guys didn’t stop off at the Two Moon for a few drinks before you got here, did you? Ms. St. James apologized for the short notice, wanted you to enjoy—”
“Aurora means besides that,” Galen interrupted.
Julia looked from Galen to Aurora and back again, as if she were trying to read between narrow lines. “She and her husband were meeting another couple.” She lifted her palms toward them. “You.”
“That’s it?”
“What else should there be?” Julia asked suspiciously. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Aurora assured quickly. “And we, uh, we’re not together. We’re just—”
“—friends,” Galen inserted. “Roselyn was at Cowboy Country the other day and ran into Aurora.”
“We were college roommates,” Aurora added. “Haven’t seen each other in years.”
“So they wanted to catch up,” Galen finished.
Julia’s attention was bouncing back and forth between them. “Interesting.” She drew out the word. Then she looked at Aurora again. “Judging by your reaction that you were stood up, I guess you’re not overly disappointed.”
Aurora smiled wryly. “Probably be good if we never mention that again.”
Julia leaned toward her, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Too bad you had thirty-some people here witnessing it.” She straightened once again. “I have strict instructions, along with a valid credit card number, to make sure you thoroughly enjoy your evening. So, can I start you off with drinks?”
“Beer,” Galen and Aurora said in unison.
Galen grinned faintly. “Anything Belgian,” he elaborated.
“I have just the thing,” Julia said with a grin, and left the table. Unlike all of the servers who were dressed in pristine white shirts with black aprons tied around their hips, Julia wore a slim-fitting gray slack suit that fit her tall figure perfectly.
“And then there were two.” Galen’s voice drew her attention back.
“Yes.” She made a production out of straightening the edges of her heavy silver flatware where it sat atop a chili-red cloth napkin. “Talk about escaping from the frying pan.”
“Doesn’t that saying usually end with someone going into the fire?”
“Hmm.�
� Thanks to Roselyn’s cancellation, Aurora and Galen had landed in their own fantasyland. Only it wasn’t a fantasy, because the two of them would never have been out together like this for real. Not as anything other than “friends,” at any rate.
“That’s an ominous sounding hmm.”
She finally looked up at him. “Sorry.” She shook off her internal director. “I think I’m feeling guilty to be having dinner at their expense.”
A waitress whom Aurora didn’t know arrived at the table with two short-stemmed glasses, filled with golden beer topped by a thick, creamy head. “Welcome to the Hollows Cantina. I’m Faith,” she introduced. “I’ll be serving you tonight. Can I bring you a chef’s sampler to start?”
Galen’s gaze caught Aurora’s. “Absolutely.”
“I’ll get that started for you.” Beaming, Faith left the table.
“No,” Galen said after their server was gone. “I’m not feeling guilty at all. It’s the least she owes you for commandeering your audition way back when. So tonight, it’s time to feast.” He picked up one of the glasses. “Enjoy.”
She felt a smile tug at her lips. She lifted her glass as well, and tapped it softly against his. “Enjoy.” The beer tasted heady. Much more so than the usual domestic brands served up at the Two Moon. “Never knew you were such a connoisseur.” She sipped again. “Wow. This is just...wow.”
He smiled. “Exactly. But knowing that a beer imported from Belgium tastes better than the glug they serve over at the Two Moon doesn’t make me a connoisseur. It’s also stronger than that stuff over there, so keep that in mind.”
“You don’t have to worry about me drinking three of them,” she assured. One was going to be ample.
She just needed to remember to keep her feet firmly on friend-slash-sister turf so she didn’t end up embarrassing them both again.
Julia gave them a benevolent smile as she walked by with another party, heading toward the staircase. It was clear that she didn’t buy into Aurora and Galen’s platonic claims.
“Funny how Julia and Liam ended up together,” Aurora murmured, watching his sister-in-law ascend to the second floor. “I don’t remember her ever giving him the time of day back in school.”
Fortune's June Bride (Mills & Boon Cherish) (The Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country, Book 6) Page 11